Pierre Bourdieu (1986) introduced the concept of capitals as forms of intangible resources that individual use to advance their socio-economic status. Past relevant researches have not focused on all Bourdieu capitals. This study conceptualises the Bourdieu capitals to empirically determine the intangible resources of Malaysian leader landscape architects. The aim of this study is to determine the type of capitals of leader landscape architects in Malaysian landscape architecture firms. All landscape architecture firms (73 nos.) in the database of the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia were chosen for the survey. The firms were given the letter of invitation and questionnaires through the post. Thirty-nine firms responded to the invitation which resulted in 90 subordinates landscape architects and assistant landscape architects as respondents. The subordinates were asked to rate their leaders’ (landscape architects) capitals. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. Factor analysis findings generated 5 factors (capitals). The capitals are social, human, emotional, cultural and design authority. The study findings provide evidence of the validity of scales to measure the intangible resources of the leading landscape architects in Malaysian landscape architecture firms. It also suggests a new research perspective for the Trait Theory of Leadership by replacing the traits with Bourdieu’s forms of capitals.

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